


Unwavering Loyalty

by SpenceRose



Category: The Ascendance Trilogy - Jennifer A. Nielsen
Genre: Angst, Break Up, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, So much angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-22
Updated: 2019-02-22
Packaged: 2019-11-02 02:37:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17879477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpenceRose/pseuds/SpenceRose
Summary: Errol admired Mott's loyalty, but at times felt it to be too much.





	Unwavering Loyalty

Errol had been called to Mott’s room to tend to him, not entirely sure as to what had happened. But he could guess as soon as he stepped in. Mott sat on his bed, back to the door and the bleeding through his shirt more than apparent. Errol froze. No, that could  _ not _ have been what happened. 

“Mott?” he asked in a quiet voice. The other just gave a hum in response, not even moving. Errol assumed it was because he was in pain. He swallowed and stepped over, reaching out to pull Mott’s shirt up, the larger man wincing as it pulled at the blood that had begun to dry. Errol stared at the fresh stripe, hand shaking as he gently touched the skin just below it. “Did he--?”

“Don’t,” Mott said, voice quiet and pleading. Hearing it broke Errol’s hear. He just nodded and set down what he’d brought. 

His touch was gentle was he cleaned the wound, glancing to Mott to make sure he wasn’t hurting him too much. His lover showed no indication of pain other than his jaw clenching and his hands gripping to the bedding beneath them. 

Finally, he knotted a bandage over it and pressed a gentle kiss to Mott’s shoulder. In the smallest voice, he whispered, “I can’t believe he did this.” Conner hurting Mott… What a horrifying thought. Everyone saw how close the two were, how much Mott meant to Conner.

“Don’t,” Mott said again. He looked at Errol finally and his expression cause him off guard. The level of hurt clearly went beyond physical, the wound cutting deeper than it looked. 

Errol reached out a hand to cup Mott’s cheek, Mott hesitating a moment before leaning into it. He closed his eyes and sighed. “Please don’t,” he whispered in the tired tone of a man resigned to the way things were. Errol knew it well, having used it many times himself.

“Darling…” He rested their foreheads together. “Why would he do this? What happened?”

“He found out about Sage’s wound from the ‘window’,” he murmured and Errol’s jaw clenched. He hadn’t thought he could hate Conner more than he already had but it seemed he was wrong. He sighed, taking a moment to control himself. He’d had so much practice, it was almost second nature.

“You don’t deserve this,” he said again, just as soft as before. “How could he do this to you.”

“He’s stressed,” Mott said, pulling away. He still couldn’t believe it had happened himself, that Conner would do it. “This plan has all of us on edge. It never would have happened otherwise. He’d never hurt me otherwise.” He winced, sounding and looking as though he didn’t fully believe that. There was time he had but now he could never again be sure.

Of course, the answer just angered Errol and the fury that crossed his face was uncharacteristic. He turned away, hands clenched into fists.

“Why do you defend him, Mott? He doesn’t deserve it, not him,” he demanded, voice a harsh whisper. He glanced towards the door, as if fearing that Conner might come and over hear. “Not after the things he’s done.”

“You don’t know him the way I do, Errol, the things he’s been through,” he said, putting a hand over the servant’s. Errol yanked his arm away. 

“I don’t want to,” he said, hands shaking. “I know what I need to tell you that he doesn’t deserve the devotion you give him. You’d follow him to the ends of the earth, give your life for him. And he would never do the same for you.”

“You don’t know him,” Mott said again. He sighed and reached over slowly, brushing his hand over Errol’s cheek. Errol lifted his hand to put it over Mott’s. “He’s better than this, I know he is. Things will get better, it won’t be this way forever. I promise.”

“Are you telling me that? Or yourself?” he asked, voice soft and Mott nearly missing it. But he just just looked hurt. Truthfully, he didn’t know.

Errol watched him and then sighed, pulling away from the usually comforting touch. He looked at the man he loved, the man who helped him through so much. If Mott had been right about one thing, it was the fact that this plan had all of them on edge. But that didn’t change things. 

He moved and took Mott’s hands in his own, gazing at him. It was quiet for another moment as he gathered his thoughts. Finally, he lifted one of Mott’s hands and pressed a kiss to it.

“I love you, Mott, so much. You mean so much to me. Your loyalty has always been something I admire,” he whispered. “But…” He looked at him, tears twinkling at the corners of his eyes. “But I can't sit by and watch as you tear yourself apart for a man who would never do the same for you.” 

“Errol…”

“Perhaps when all this is over, we can try again. If the two of us make it through.” Errol kissed his cheek before standing and turning to leave, a tear finally being allowed to slide down his cheek and fall to the floor. 


End file.
